Sophie Ryan, PT BPhty

Dance Educator/Teacher, Physical Therapist/Physiotherapist, Pilates Instructor

BHSc (Phty), NZRP, Cred. MDT, Nat. Dip. Dance, Pilates Instructor, Certified PBT Sophie Ryan is an ex-professional dancer, now dance physiotherapist, dance conditioning teacher and dance educator, with a strong focus on safe dance practice. A graduate of the New Zealand School of Dance, she performed professionally with Black Grace Dance Company in addition to other project-based works, and continues to dance to this day. She trains in the highly technical Brazilian Zouk style (partner dance fusion of lambada with contemporary / ballet influences) and also enjoys taking ballet technique classes when she can. For five years Sophie was part of the health professional team at the New Zealand School of Dance, both as the dance conditioning tutor and, in her fifth year, as the provider of individual clinical rehab sessions for dancers with complex injuries. Sophie graduated with a Bachelor in Health Science majoring in Physiotherapy from Auckland University of Technology in 2012, also completing an apprenticeship with Dance Pilates during that time. Sophie has consistently taught ballet and pointe technique, pre pointe preparation and dance conditioning in private dance schools across a fifteen year period. She became credentialed in Progressing Ballet Technique in 2017 and continues to include elements of this into her dance conditioning classes as appropriate, as well as her own syllabus she has developed over the past decade, based on her clinical and practical teaching experience working with dancers. Sophie continues her ongoing professional development with courses in dance health, manual therapy and exercise-based rehabilitation. She currently works with dance students, dance teachers and professional dancers, and has worked with dancers from the New Zealand Dance Company, Footnote, Java Dance, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Opera Australia, Ballet Collective Aotearoa, as well as freelance performers. Sophie practices in central Wellington, New Zealand, but also regularly provides appointments by videocall nationally and as required, internationally. If you would like to enquire about an appointment, please email sophieryanphysio@gmail.com.